Heating In Winnipeg :: Furnaces :: Climate Control

In the past – heating contractors developed the poor habit of oversizing furnaces to be on the safe side. It was not as serious an issue back then since energy costs were a lot less than they are today. The combined losses in efficiency due to an oversized furnace and chimney liner is much more of a loss with today’s energy costs than ever before. An oversized furnace will always cost more to purchase, more to install and more to operate and maintain. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to properly evaluate and calculate the actual heat loss.

Home Heating System Cost Calculator

Today’s heating contractor typically will size a furnace to no more than 10-15% higher than the actual heat loss of the home. At Tradesman Mechanical – we can input all of the required values into our computer heat loss program for an accurate assessment of your home. These will include wall dimensions & construction, insulation values, colours, type of basement, windows, doors, number of occupants, lifestyle & more.

Replace the batteries in your digital thermostat annually and avoid a no-heat situation.
A clean air filter is a cheap and simple way to reduce failure and operating costs. Mark the dates on your calendar as a reminder.
Programmable thermostats will keep your home comfortable while helping you avoid paying for heating or cooling when you are not there to enjoy it. - Energy savings of up to 10% may be realized and will pay for itself in as short as one season of operation. - Set back of more than 7-8º will offer less savings due to recovery and is not recommended.
Opening curtains and blinds allowing sunlight into your home will generate free radiant heat. Window coverings will reduce heat transfer at night keeping the wwarmth inside.
Fireplace dampers should be closed when not in use. Chimney drafts can allow unnecessary heat loss. A fireplace flue that is never used, should be properly sealed off.
Humid moist air will feel more comfortable than dry air at the same temperature. Maintaining the humidity in your home will provide personal comfort at a lower temperature setting and save you money.
Remove all flammable items from around your furnace and hot water heater. Paints, aerosols, solvents, boxes and clothing should not be stored near this equpment.
Furnaces and water heaters require combustion air for safe and efficient operation. If your gas burning appliance is isolated in a sealed room or closet, a combustion air duct or transfer grilles should be installed.
Save energy by closing off dampers to areas not in use.
Never close off more than 25% of your dampers or vents. reducing the total airflow through your system beyond this may lead to problems. - Low airflow will affect the temperature rise through the heat exchanger and may lead to unsafe operating conditions and equipment failure. Low airflow will also affect the temperature drop when in air conditioning mode. This may lead to freeze up of the evaporator (cooling coil).
Consider replacing your furnace if it is more than 15-20 years old. Any repair costs would have been better spent on a more efficient new system that will also provide you with lower operating costs.

Tradesman provides repair, maintenance, and installation services for a wide variety of furnaces and heating equipment. These include:

You may also want to check our Electrical, Ventilation and Sheet Metal sections of this Web site for information on related services.

Tradesman Mechanical Services Ltd. is centrally located in Winnipeg giving our Heating and Air Conditioning customers fast and efficient service when they need us most. Servicing Furnaces and A/C equipment since 1988.